Fire extinguishers aren’t complicated devices, but did you know there are rules about where they should be placed in your business? Let’s go over some do’s and don’ts when it comes to fire extinguisher placement.
How Far Do Fire Extinguishers Have to Be from Employees?
Let’s say you have 75 feet. If every person within your workroom or area is less than 75 feet away from a fire extinguisher, you’re within OSHA’s required distance employees must travel to get to a fire extinguisher. (P.S. 75 feet is only about the distance from home plate to first base on a youth baseball field.) Remember that this is a traveling distance rule, not a straight distance rule. If an employee has to exit the workroom and walk around corners to reach the nearest fire extinguisher, the time spent traveling counts toward OSHA’s 75-foot requirement.
As long as anyone who enters your company is consistently within 75 feet of a fire extinguisher, you’re good to go!
Fire extinguisher placement height requirements
Not only do you need to place fire extinguishers around your work areas, but you also need to mount them correctly. Proper fire extinguisher mounting will help prevent them from being knocked over or placed in dangerous locations.
- According to OSHA Guidelines, mount all fire extinguishers on the wall with a bracket or inside a wall-mounted cabinet. Ensure they are always visible and accessible.
- Fire extinguishers weighing under 40 pounds should be wall-mounted, with the handle placed between 3 ½ feet and 5 feet from the ground.
- Fire extinguishers weighing over 40 pounds should have their handles no higher than 3 ½ feet from the ground.
- Always mount every fire extinguisher so that its base is at least 4 inches above the floor.
Areas of Fire Hazards Commonly Found in Businesses
Fires can happen in your business more often than they do in your home due to some common fire hazards. Fire hazards in businesses can range from cooking to electrical problems to faulty heating equipment. Take note of the fire hazard areas in your business and use that as a guide for where to place your fire extinguishers. OSHA even provides fire extinguisher placement instructions for businesses with cooking equipment. Because kitchens and break rooms pose a high fire risk, you’ll want to make sure your fire extinguisher is within 30 feet of the cooking station.
But what about other areas of the workplace? Here is basic fire safety tip for placing fire extinguishers.
- Place fire extinguishers throughout your business, with a minimum spacing of 75 feet between them.
Here at Brazas Fire, we want to make sure you and your employees are safe from fire. That’s why we’ve provided you with some fire safety tips when it comes to the workplace.